“I’M PROUD TO BE A PART OF OPEN UNIVERSITY PRESS’ PUBLISHING HISTORY”
Laura Pacey, Head of Open University Publishing, considers some of the reasons for the press’ success in the last half-century, as well as priorities for the next 50 years
Open University Press and the publishing landscape
When it was initially founded within the Open University, the publishing landscape looked very different – digital did not exist; competition was smaller and came in the form of traditional publications rather than free online resources, blogs, social media, podcasts and videos; and students learned through very traditional channels.
The Open University was of course an innovator and pioneer, offering remote and flexible learning so that students at all points in their life and career could continue in their development. One of the prerequisites of an Open University Press book is its accessibility and practicality for whichever audience it is serving, be it students, academics or practitioners.
This has remained the case since its launch with the Open University and its acquisition by McGraw Hill in 2002. By becoming part of a larger, commercial publisher, Open University Press has ensured greater accessibility around the world, which is continually at the forefront of our publishing strategy.
Through the introduction of print on demand, library collections and continued partnership with the RNIB, we can reach customers swiftly and effectively. This year we will also ensure that all our eBooks are published in the most advanced and accessible format currently available on the market, to uphold the Open University ethos of flexibility and adaptability.
Celebrating our authors
I am continually impressed by the dominance and longevity of many of our titles that have become brands in their own right; Estelle Phillips and Derek Pugh’s How to Get a PhD has been the bible for doctoral students for over 30 years, while John McLeod’s An Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy has been aiding students for almost as long, celebrating over a quarter of a century in print. Our 50th Anniversary campaign is a perfect time to celebrate our past, present and future authors, and I am grateful that many have been able to share their own reflections on the impact of their publishing and hope you enjoy reading their recollections on working with Open University Press over the years.
It was a near impossible task to gather only 50 bestselling books to feature in our list of Editor’s Picks, but we have tried to balance our core revisions with standalone bestsellers across Education; Nursing, Health and Social Work; Counselling and Psychotherapy; Psychology; Coaching; and Study and Research Skills.
2020 and beyond
2020 marks another year of quality publishing with many new releases to look forward to, including the seventh edition of Pallant’s renowned SPSS Survival Manual, as well as brand new titles such as Developing Your TEF Profile from Wolstencroft, De Main and Cashian at Coventry University.
We have also launched a new Editorial Advisory Board, which honours our historic relationship with the Open University and forges new ties with over 16 institutions in the UK and beyond. We are delighted these experts can support us in our mission to publish content that is responsive and valuable.
I am proud to be a part of Open University Press’ publishing history and would like to extend the pleasure to as many people as possible. Here’s to an exciting 50 years ahead and many thanks to our authors, peer reviewers and readers over the last half-century.
